In many large network installations, remote management systems have been provided in order to enable network administrators to manage the network hardware and software. Although these remote management systems can provide network administrators with sophisticated tools for managing the network, the systems can also be quite expensive and complicated to deploy.
In conventional home networks and small office/home office (SOHO) networks, the network administrator is often a homeowner or small business owner with limited technical training. Therefore, home networking systems targeting the mass market generally attempt to provide simple and easy installation and configuration of the systems used to create the network, such as the modem, router, and firewall software. Accordingly, the conventional remote management systems may be too complex to operate smoothly with the home networking customer premises equipment (CPE). In addition, firewall or other protective software installed by the user may prevent any remote management of the CPE by users located outside the firewall.
It would be desirable to provide remote management of home network CPE, so as to enable service providers to update, configure, or troubleshoot the CPE. Because of the limited technical background of the home user, it would be desirable for the remote management system to be simple and not require burdensome local intervention. It would also be desirable to provide such a remote management system at low cost, in order to maintain mass market appeal.